Patent GB-191116727-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Cash Registering Machines and in Electrical Control Means for Same.
Filed: 1911-07-20
Granted: 1912-07-22
Abstract: 16,727. National Cash Register Co., [National Cash Register Co.]. July 20. Cash registers with operating-means; iuterlocking; differential mechanism.-Relates to apparatus for controlling a central machine from a number of distant sending-machines. The sending-machines are of the differentially - set crank - operated type, and the receiving-machine has differential elements electrically connected with those of the sending - machines so as to be correspondingly set, and has a number of totalizers and recording- mechanisms. Each sending - machine has a setting-lever 20 for each denomination gearing with a vertical rack 23 which sets the indicator 24. Each numeral rack 23 has attached to it a block 25 with a pair of spring contacts, one of which traverses a series of conductors 32, the other remaining in contact with a " common " bar 35, Fig. 1<c>. Besides the numeral - setting levers, there is a clerk's setting - lever having a segment 60 attached so as to engage a pin 61 on a holding - lever 62 for a locking - lever 64, which normally prevents actuation of the crank on the main shaft 47. Upon setting the clerk's lever, however, the locking-lever 64 is freed and is drawn up by its spring so as to release the main shaft, a cam 66 upon which resets the locking-lever, so as to stop the shaft upon one complete revolution. A further lever 20 has two positions for " cash " and " charge " transactions, and has an insulated stud 91 upon its rack 90. Fig. 1<a>, to throw the " cash " counter out of, and the " charge " counter into circuit upon operation. All the racks 23 have locking-racks 40 on them to engage with plungers 41 which abut against set-screws in a frame 42 having an arm 44 with a roller 45 which engages a notch 46 in a disk on the main shaft 47, preventing operation if a setting-lever is in an intermediate position, and, by the engagement of the roller 45 with the edge of the disk, preventing resetting of the machine until the operation is complete. A transaction having been set, the main crank is operated, and registration on a counter, record strip, or the like is made in the usual way on the sending- machine, also a cam 70 on the main shaft closes contacts 72, 73, 74 which energize a starting-coil 210, Fig. 8, so as to throw in a relay to work the receiving machine, and at the same time to energize the magnet 49 of the acting sender, and all other senders, so as to throw up locking-pawls 48 to hold all machines against setting until the receiver has been completely operated, the levers 48 at the same time closing circuits so as to light signal lamps showing that the receiver is at work and senders are locked. The receiving-machine has a number of rack bars 100, one for each denomination. having a contact block 102 to connect a " com- " mon " bar 103 with contacts 106 connected up to the corresponding contacts on the sending- machine. Gearing with each rack bar is a segment 118 attached to a segment 115 which is engaged and locked by a pawl 112 when its magnet 110 is energized by the rack-bar contact block 102 having reached the " live " contact as set. The setting of the sending-machine being thus reproduced on the racks 100 of the receiver, these are restored to normal by a vokebar 120 in a shaft 116, which is rocked from a cam 129 driven by the motor shaft 125 of the machine. During this restoration, the counters are actuated. The counters. of which four are shown, are carried in frames pivoted on shafts 141 and having arms 142 extending downwards to engage pins 154 on the rack 150, which is moved by an arm 151 and cam 153 so as to throw the counter into gear. Only those counters, however, are so actuated whose magnets 146, Fig. 4, have thrown rearward the latch pawls 144 for levers 143 on the depending arms 142 of the counter frames. The tripped levers 143 engage shoulders on the rack 150. The restoration of the racks 100 while the counters are thus in gear effects the addition on the proper totalizer. The counters are raised out of gear by pins 154 on the rack 150, and the levers 143 are reset on the holding-latches 144 by cams 155 on the spindles of the counter frames. These spindles are employed to effect transfer, and are driven intermittently by an interrupted pinion 160 gearing with the motor shaft which has a cam disk 164 to lock the pinion 160 at the proper times. The movement of one spindle 141 is communicated to all the counter-frame spindles by bevel-gearing. The starting-coil 210 for the receiver draws down a lever 212 engaging a pawl 214 on an arm 215 having a pin 216 to close contacts 217, 218. These are held closed by a pin 220 on the lever 215 engaging a locking- lever 221 which is only raised to release the contact holding-arm 215 by a cam 226 when the main shaft 125 is just completing a revolution. The opening of this contact releases all locking-magnets and leaves the system free for a new actuation. Switches such as 230, 231 are introduced to lessen sparking at the rack contacts 106, and to release the counter-actuating magnets 146 definitely. Printing-mechanism.-Printing-segments 184, Fig. 7, are set by nested sleeves 182 gearing with the rack segments 118, and printing is effected by a platen 196, over which an ink ribbon is led, being tripped by a cam 195 on the main shaft 125. A fixed pawl 202 feeds the ink-ribbon as the platen moves, and the record strip is fed by a pawl 188 driven by the rocking- shaft 116.